Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
Time: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm (including networking reception)
Location: One Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY
Sponsors: Greenberg Traurig and FIASI

Conference Overview
The municipal market continues to navigate a complex and evolving landscape shaped by shifting market dynamics, political and regulatory uncertainty, inflationary cost pressures, federal policy developments, technological transformation, geopolitical risk, and changing investor demands. Against this backdrop, the Municipal Analyst Group of New York (MAGNY) and the Philadelphia Area Municipal Analyst Society (PhAMAS) are proud to host their inaugural joint municipal conference.
 
This full-day event will bring together leading municipal market professionals, issuers, investors, analysts, and policymakers to discuss the opportunities and challenges that are shaping the municipal market in the year ahead. Through sector-focused panels and keynote addresses, and an interactive muni scrum discussion, attendees will explore sector specific developments, emerging credit trends, and regional and national policy issues.
 
Designed to foster thoughtful dialogue and strengthen connections across the New York and Philadelphia municipal finance communities, the conference will provide a unique forum for sharing perspectives and identifying the themes that matter most for municipal market participants heading into 2027. The day will conclude with a networking reception. The full agenda is set forth below.
 
We extend our sincere appreciation to Greenberg Traurig for hosting the conference.

Conference Pricing:
$200 MAGNY-PhAMAS members 
$250 Other NFMA members
$150 Government employees
$50 Full-time students (limited registrations)
$300 Non Members

Conference Agenda:

8:30 – 9:00
Registration & breakfast networking 

9:00-9:15
Welcome and opening remarks

• MAGNY President
• PhAMAS Chair
• Greenberg Traurig

9:15-9:45
Keynote address from NYC OMB Director Sherif Soliman

9:45-10:00
Break

10:00 – 10:50
Navigating the Intersection: Macro Forces, Market Strategy, and Portfolio Execution in Municipals

As fiscal policy shifts and global economic indicators flash mixed signals, the municipal bond market faces a complex matrix of macroeconomic drivers, technical pressures, and evolving credit landscapes. This panel gathers three distinct perspectives across the fixed-income ecosystem to dissect the path forward for municipal strategy. Beginning with a top-down macroeconomic evaluation of inflation, Federal Reserve policy, and growth trajectories, the discussion funnels directly into sell-side municipal market strategy—evaluating supply/demand technicals, yield curve positioning, and relative value metrics. Finally, the panel transitions to real-world buy-side portfolio execution, exploring how macro themes and tactical strategies dictate active capital allocation, security selection, and duration management across institutional municipal portfolios and retail mutual funds, ETFs and SMAs. Attendees will gain a comprehensive blueprint for connecting global economic shifts to granular municipal portfolio decisions.

Moderator:

• Anne Ross, Principal Consultant, Muni Credit & Compliance Advisors LLC 

Speakers:

• Beth Ann Bovino, Chief Economist & Senior VP, U.S. Bank
• Mark Schmidt, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley Municipal Strategy
• Caroline Wenker, Senior Director & Portfolio Manager, PGIM Municipal Fixed Income

10:50 - 11:00
Break

11:00 – 12:00
Mass Transit - Navigating Fiscal Pressures and Investing for the Future
Public transportation systems are essential to the economic vitality and mobility of the Northeast Corridor and the communities they serve. Yet transit agencies are operating in an increasingly complex environment characterized by structural budget pressures, aging infrastructure and significant state-of-good-repair needs, capital program affordability challenges, construction cost inflation, extreme weather events, and uncertainty surrounding federal and state funding priorities.

Join representatives from major Northeast transportation agencies as they discuss how they are addressing these challenges while continuing to invest in the next generation of transportation infrastructure. Topics will include major capital programs, funding and financing strategies, federal support, system resiliency, ridership and revenue trends, and the long-term outlook for mass transit across the Northeast Corridor. 

Moderator:

• Baltazar Juarez, Senior Credit Analyst, Vanguard
  Chair of PhAMAS

Speakers:

• Steve Wislo, Senior Director, Debt Financing, NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Tara Ashmore, Senior Director, Treasury, Amtrak
• Matthew Wiederrecht, Managing Director, Capstone LLC

12:00 – 12:30
Lunch Break

12:30 – 1:15
NYC Fireside Chat - NYC - Economy, Finances, and What To Watch

This fireside chat will feature a discussion between Francesco Brindisi, Executive Deputy Comptroller for Budget Finance, from the New York City’s Comptroller Office, and Thomas Zemetis, Director and Lead Analyst at S&P Global Ratings. The two will discuss the New York City economy and fiscal conditions, federal-city funding dynamics, ways in which AI and next-gen technology may change the city and NYC government, and what to watch over the next year.

1:15 – 2:05
Higher Education: Navigating a Time of Change

Higher education remains one of the nation's and our region's greatest strengths, but institutions are adapting to a changing operating environment shaped by federal policy shifts, demographic trends, and affordability pressures. While the most significant strain will be concentrated among a segment of the sector, most are responding to the challenges by seeking innovative ways to maintain financial stability and advance their missions. Panelists will discuss how public, private, and religiously affiliated institutions are responding to evolving conditions, where risks are emerging, and what opportunities lie ahead.

Moderator: 

• Douglas Goldmacher, Senior Vice President, Moody’s Ratings

Speakers: 

• Neil Horgan, Vice President for Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Villanova University
• Janine D. Wilcox, Chief Financial Officer, SVP for Finance & Budget, New York University
• J. Michael Gower, Chief Financial Officer & University Treasurer, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

2:05 – 2:30
Break

2:30 – 3:30
Muni Scrum

3:30 – 5:30
Networking reception at Ammos Estiatorio
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY

Thank you to our sponsors, Greenberg Traurig LLP and FIASI